ened up by artillery. But when our object is to preserve
the lives of persons so important to the world as the royal family of
Spain, lying at the mercy of ruffians who would not hesitate to murder
every one of them in cold blood--it is best to wait for the attack till
the morning. So I will push forward my forces on all sides, and, if all
goes well, surprise Cabrera at the earliest glimmering of dawn."

"And my friends who have suffered so much to bring this about?" urged
Concha, anxiously. "What of them?"

"I promise you, on my honour, that they shall be protected and
rewarded!" said Espartero.

"And Don Rollo, the brave Scot--even if the Queen continues to dislike
him?" persisted Concha.

"_Senorita_," smiled the General, "it will be a vastly greater peril to
the young man, I fear, if _you_ like him! He will have so many jealous
rivals on his hand!"

For Baldomero Espartero also was an Andalucian, and the men of that
province, high and low, never permit themselves to get out of practice
when there is opportunity for a compliment.

Concha looked the General full in the face with her deep, magnificent
eyes, which were aquamarine, violet, or dark-grey, according to the
light upon them. They were (as she would sometimes own) fallacious eyes,
and upon occasion were wont to express far more than their owner meant
to stand by. But, the latent love power behind them once fixed, these
same eyes could convince the most sceptical of the unalterable nature of
the affection which they professed. So it was in the present instance.
Concha merely looked at the General squarely for a moment, and said,
without flinching, "_I love him!_"

Espartero stooped and touched her brow lightly with his lips, graciously
and tenderly as a father might upon a solemn occasion. Then he gathered
up her little brown hands in his. They were trembling now, not
rock-steady as when they held the musket on the balcony at La Granja.

"My daughter," he said, "do not fear for your young Scot. Queens and
consorts and premiers are not the most powerful folk in Spain--not, at
least, so long as Baldomero Espartero, the Andalucian, commands those
good lads out there!"

Then the future Dictator stepped to his tent door, summoned a staff
officer, and ordered him to put a tent at the disposal of the young
_Senorita_. "And request the commandants of the several columns to come
immediately to me at headquarters, as also the gipsy-spy Ezquerra, our
late heads